Recent reports show some employers are asking job candidates for their social media logins/passwords during interviews to access candidates’ accounts and view their profiles. NACE’s position is that the practice violates ethical standards.

Employers should not require or request that students/job candidates provide login/password information to their personal social network accounts as a condition of employment or as a condition to be considered for employment.

NACE’s Principles for Professional Practice provides for a recruitment process that is consistent with EEO and privacy laws and also a process in which job applicants are free from undue pressure.

NACE advises college career services professionals to counsel their students that employers do not have a right to require them to provide their login/password information for their social network accounts during the employment recruiting process.

Please direct questions about employers requiring logins/passwords from student job seekers to the NACE Principles for Professional Practice Committee at pgiordani@naceweb.org.

Created April 2012 by the Principles for Professional Practice Committee.